Mail-box.



Nol 823,730.

2 sums-SHEET 1.

luvzwroz Witness@ ,gw

PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906.

A. KING. MAIL B0X. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 27, 1905 'I 3\ wcntm.

attenua@ En srarns A' AILMER KING, or AIIRQRA, I'LilINoIs.

' MAIL-Box.

Y No. 823,730.

f specification of Letters'ratena f 'ratented June 19, 1906.

Application met october 27,1905.` serial No. 284,683. i

To alla/'homV it may concern.' Y.

Be it known that I, ALMER KING, a citizen I of the United' States, residing atAurora, in the county of Kane,*State of Illinois,"have` invented certain new and useful Improvements -in Mail-Boxes; j and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. f

This invention relates to a combined box and alarm. v

One object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable, and efficient mail-box embodying such characteristics that an alarm will be given upon opening and closing-thereof.

Another object resides in the provision of a mailbox embodying such characteristics that it may be self-closing and in its opening or closing operation sound an alarm.

With these`and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as Will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my mail-box, the dotted lines illustrating the outward movement of the mail-box proper with reference to its telescoping casing. Fig 2 is a similar view illustratmg-the rear of the box, parts being shown in elevation and in mailsection. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the hammer or clapper arms and the lever connected therewith, illustrating the pair of fingers of the latter. i

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference character 3 indicates the casing ofmy mail-box, having an open end 4 and a closed end 5, the closed end 5 extending upon both sides of the casing 3 to form ears 6 and7 and the sides of the casing being formed into cylindricalsha ed guides 8 and 9 for the sliding reception of t e cylindrical-shaped side edges 10 and 11 of the mail-box 12. It will be observed that the mail-box 12v telescopes with the casing 3 and that it has one open vend with its opposite end closed, 'as at 14, which ,latter extends upon the sides of the mail-box to form 4the mai ears 15 and 16 for alinement with the aforesaid ears 6 and 7, respectively. By'reason of the o en ends of the casing and mail-box l)which may be placed through the opening 17 of the latter may not only be protected from the weather, but in the event of long letters the mail-box proper will telescope with its casing 3, according to the length of the latter.l The casing and mail-box may be lsecured to a door'or a post near the door in any suitable manner.

In order to move the mail-box 12 outwardly lof its casing 3, I provide a U-shaped handle member 21 whose legs 22 and 23 pass through corresponding perforations in the ears 6 and 7 and 15 and 16 with their extremities fixedly ing as soon'as pressure 'is released from the handle member 21. A Y

Projecting from the inner face of the front of the box are alining short posts 26 and 27, designed to support the bell mechanism.

.This bell mechanism includes a frame 28,

preferably of circular form and provided with a peripheral flange 29, from which radiate the opposltely-disposed ears 30 and 31, designed to be secured to the outer ends of the aforesaid posts 26 and 27 by means of suitable( lscrew-fasteners 32. Extending outwardly from the center of the base-plate 28 is an elongated post 33 for the reception of the bell proper, 34. Mounted adjacent this post 3.3

is a short post 34, upon which is pivotally mounted a trip-plate 35, having three JIingers 36, 37, and 38 and provided with a curved slot 39, adapted to embrace the aforesaid elongated post 33, whereby the trip-plate is limited in its oscillating movements by engagement therewith at the end of the slot. Pivotally mounted upon suitable pins 40 and 41 upon opposite sides of the trip-plate 35 are levers 42 and 43, with which are connected the bell-hammer arms 44`and 45, each having at its extremity a hammer 46. The levers 42 and 43 are each provided with a projecting pair of fingers 47, between each of which pair of lingers 47 engages the corresponding endof a spring 48, coiled about a post 49, directly adjacent a stop 50, with which the free extremities of the levers 42 and 43 engage.

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with three iingers 59, one of which at a time' is designed to co'perate with the finger 36 of the tripplate It will be understood that thisv tripping-plate 58 revolves with the rotation of the spindle 51.

In order to place mail within the mail-box, pressure is exerted upon the U-shaped han- 'dle member 21, which forces the mail-box 12 outwardly of its casing 3, so that the mail maybe deposited in the box through the opening 17. This opening of the box causes the spindle 51 to rotate through the connection of the lever 53 and pitman 55. As the spindle rotates it also rotates the trip-plate 58, which causes one of the lingers 59 of the latter to engage the 'linger 36 of the trip-plate 35, thereby moving the latter upon its pivot, and consequently causing the iinger 38 of the tripplate to engagethe lever 43 and throw the hammer-arm 45 inwardly until the said fingers 59 and 36 pass each other, when the hammer will contact with the bell 34, permitting the finger 36 to return to its normal position. Then when pressure is released from the handle member 21 the trip-plate 58 will move backwardly, and the same finger 59 will again engage the iinger 36 of the trip-plate 35 causing the iinger37 of the latter to be moved into engagement with the opposite lever 42, which will throw the hammer-arm 44 inwardly until the fingers pass each other, when the hammer 46 of the arm 44 will contact with the bell. As soon as the iingers 36 and 59 pass each other the corresponding ends of the spring 48 causes the bell-levers 42 and 43 to return to their normal positions with such snap as to permit a quick contact ofthe respective hangers 46 with the inner side ofthe bell.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the hammer-arm 45 rings the bell when the mailbox is open and that the hammer-arm 44 rings the bell when the mail-box is closed.

What is claimed is- In a device of the character described, a mail-box comprising telescoping parts, one part having a mail-receiving slot therein and also a guide-slot, a bell mounted within one of said parts, and means having one end working in said guide-slot with its opposite ond connected with the bell to ring the latter upon movement of one telescopic part with relation to the other in either drection.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALMER KING.

Witnesses WV. H. CHAPMAN, J. T. CRAMPTON.

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